George III is pulled over a cliff by the twin horses of obstinacy and pride as America burns. The horses trample both constitution and Magna Carta . As the 18th century reached its mid-point, Britain's empire had cut its way into India and North America. When building any empire, it is vital not to have too much empathy, that is to say, too much communication with those people at the sharp end of your sword. Even though one fruit from the tree of knowledge was the technological ability to go abroad and more easily subjugate others, one simple result of empire building is communicative constipation. You must tell people what to do, rather than engage in discussion . People must take orders, and any insubordination is met with brute force. Information must be controlled...